CVE-2023-4649 in icms2
Summary
by MITRE • 08/31/2023
Session Fixation in GitHub repository instantsoft/icms2 prior to 2.16.1.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/19/2026
Session fixation vulnerabilities occur when an application fails to properly invalidate or regenerate session identifiers upon successful authentication, allowing attackers to hijack user sessions. In the case of the GitHub repository instantsoft/icms2 prior to version 2.16.1, this vulnerability enabled malicious actors to maintain persistent access to user accounts by exploiting weak session management practices. The flaw specifically manifested when users authenticated to the content management system without proper session regeneration, leaving the original session token unchanged and potentially exploitable by attackers who had obtained the session identifier through various means.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to generate new session identifiers upon successful login events. When users logged into the system, the application did not invalidate the existing session cookie and create a fresh one, instead allowing the original session token to persist. This behavior creates a scenario where an attacker who has previously obtained a valid session identifier can reuse it to gain unauthorized access to the user's account without needing to know the user's credentials. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the authentication layer and can be exploited through various attack vectors including session token interception, cross-site scripting attacks, or other session-related exploitation techniques.
The operational impact of this session fixation vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to potentially full system compromise. Attackers could maintain persistent access to user accounts, enabling them to perform administrative actions, modify content, access sensitive data, or use compromised accounts for further attacks within the system. The vulnerability affects all users who authenticate to the system, making it a critical security risk that could lead to data breaches, content tampering, and potential lateral movement within network environments where the application is deployed. Organizations relying on this CMS version would be vulnerable to prolonged unauthorized access without detection, as session hijacking attacks can remain undetected for extended periods.
Mitigation strategies for this session fixation vulnerability should include immediate implementation of proper session management practices such as generating new session identifiers upon successful authentication and invalidating old session tokens. The recommended fix involves ensuring that the application explicitly regenerates session identifiers during the authentication process, following established security best practices. Organizations should also implement additional protective measures including secure session cookie attributes such as HttpOnly, Secure, and SameSite flags, along with regular session timeout configurations. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-384 which specifically addresses session fixation issues and maps to ATT&CK technique T1548.003 related to abuse of session tokens for privilege escalation and persistent access. Upgrading to version 2.16.1 or later resolves the vulnerability by implementing proper session regeneration mechanisms and ensuring that user sessions are properly managed during authentication events.